31 December 1996 - Daddy Issues

Our banging entrance had definitely earned us some strange looks from the clientele and the barmaid. "Maybe we should get out of here before we attract any more attention," I suggested. Taking her hand, I walked us out the door and into the snowy England landscape. "Do you know which way Hogwarts is?"

I realized now that we probably should have had more of a game plan than what we did.  I looked around, trying to get my bearings from stories my parents had told me about the village.  "I believe it would be this way," I said quietly, walking slowly in the direction I thought was the right way.  I was sure at one point we would be able to see the castle looming in the distance.

I shrugged. "Works for me," I said. As we walked along a small path, I could see the castle coming over the top of a hill. "Looks like we're going in the right direction. By the way, I have no idea what to do when we get there. I doubt we can just demand Dumbledore's presence."

He was right.  How were we supposed to get attention from Dumbledore?  "Well, as soon as we cross into the grounds, I'm sure we'll be greeted by somebody.  I doubt the professors there just let people wander onto school grounds without some sort of warning system.  Let's just hope that it will be someone who will hear us out.  Perhaps they'd get Dumbledore involved right away."  That really would be the best case scenario.

"You're probably right," I agreed. We trekked up the path and came to the entrance gates, the winged boars looming over us. I took a step forward, partly afraid that I'd get electrocuted and thrown twenty feet backward, or something like that. But nothing happened. I walked right through the threshold and toward the castle. Looking back at Madelyn, I added, "You coming?"

I nodded, taking a deep breath and striding forward.  "When have you ever heard of people sneaking onto a school's grounds?" I asked quietly, trying to lighten the mood.  This felt rather creepy, though.  I was not sure if I liked it.

"I'm not sure that we're sneaking onto the grounds," I said. "Someone surely knows that we're here. Besides, I don't have anything to hide. I'm here to see the headmaster and to find out who my father is."

Not ducking behind trees or staying to the shadows, I strode almost pompously to the front door of Hogwarts. It was odd, though, that nobody had found us yet. The door creaked open as I pushed against it.

"Here we go..."

I stood in the entrance hall awaiting our guests that seemed to be keen on entering the castle.  When they opened the door, I smiled at them slightly.  I had know they were just children after all -- I would have to venture to say in their mid teenager years.  "Why hello," I said to them, chuckling slightly at their reaction to my presence.  "The two of you look a little chilled... how about a mug of hot cocoa?  Then you can tell me to what I owe the pleasure of your company."  At the last sentence, I peered over my half-moon spectacles, trying to read them.

I stopped dead in my tracks and stared at the Headmaster.  He was rather cheery towards us -- as if he knew we were coming or something.  I mean, clearly he had seen us walking up the grounds, but it almost seemed as though he had been waiting for us before now.  But how could he?  Unless Iggy's dad had warned him that he may seek him out?  Now I felt like I was grasping for straws.  I attempted a polite smile, but sure that it did not work.  "Um... hi, sir," I said after a moment.  I had not been prepared for this.  I expected an angry professor leading us to the Headmaster, not the Headmaster greeting us at the door.

<<I love what just happened. >>

"Um... good, good afternoon," I stammered. Neither Madelyn nor I had expected to be greeted by Dumbledore himself, but I had to admit that he'd made it exceedingly more helpful this way. At least now I wouldn't have to explain myself to anyone except Dumbledore.

As we followed him to wherever it was he was guiding us, I found myself admitting to him already, "I'd like to know who my father is. I have something of his that has the Slytherin crest on it and was hoping you'd be able to identify it."

<< Me too!  It was just so Dumbledore! lol >>

I strode purposely to my office.  I looked back at my guests and nodded slightly.  "Ah, well, once we're in my office I will be happy to be of assistance," I told them.  We stood in front of the winged gargoyles and I spoke my password -- lemon drop -- and he sprang to the side.  I led them up the stairs and opened my door.  I motioned for them to sit down.  

"First thing, though," I said as I busied myself with getting some hot cocoa around for us, "I do believe introductions should be made.  I am sure you may already know, but I am Professor Dumbledore, the Headmaster.  And who may the two of you be?" I set steaming mugs in front of them and sat down behind my desk.

I was glad that Iggy had started to speak up; I felt like a complete fool for a moment.  I sat down nervously as the Headmaster bustled around his office.  "I'm Lyn, sir.  Lyn Williams," I said, smiling and offering my hand like my dad had instructed me to do whenever I introduced myself.  The professor got an interesting look on his face when he shook my hand, but I was not sure what to make of it.  He seemed rather odd, if I did say so myself.

"Hello, sir," I said as we walked into the office. Looking around, I saw countless contraptions and devices that I hadn't learned about yet. Things were tinkling and sparkling, whizzing and whirring. It was almost distracting, but as one of the most powerful wizards of the age, I doubt Dumbledore was fazed much by it. "I'm Iggy Harper. I'm a sixth-level student at Alma Aleron in the States."

I smiled at the two of them.  "It's a pleasure to meet you both," I said with utmost sincerity.  I turned my gaze solely on Iggy.  "You said you had something with the crest of Slytherin on it and that it may lead to your father?" I was not entirely sure if I could help, but I did have an overwhelming curiosity to see what he had that could have belonged to Slytherin himself.  I would help him the best that I could.

<< Have you decided what Iggy will find out during this trip? >>

<<I think we should figure out some details because I'm not entirely sure. I'd like to draw it out if possible, but I would imagine that Dumbledore will see the locket with the RAB note in it and know immediately that it's Regulus. Maybe Dumbledore knows that it's Regulus but doesn't tell Madelyn or Iggy -- says he has to research some things a little -- and goes to Regulus himself to talk about the situation? What do you think?>>

I was suddenly hyper-aware of the locket and its weight within my pocket. My hand reached to retrieve it and show it to Dumbledore, and my heart raced while I did so. "Yes, sir," I said as I procured the locket. "It's this locket. There's a note inside it, too, if you want to see that."